Refrigerator car bulkhead



J. S. LUNDVALL REFRIGERATOR GAR BULKHEAD s gpt. 14, 1937.

:s sheets-sheet 1 Filed Dec. 10, 1936 Ilwllll a? A, 4

bcoom C 000001 Sept. 14, 1937. J. s. LUNDVALL l 2,092,981

REFRIGERATOR CAR BULKHEAD Filed Dec. 1o,v 1936 3 sheets-shew 2Sept.14,1.937. 4. s. LUNDVALL 2,092,981

REFRIGERATOR CAR BULKHEAD Filed Dec. 1o, 1936 :s sheets-sheet 3 @Zas-Patented Sept'. 14, 1937 REFRIGEBATOB CAR BULKHEAD .lohn S. Lundvall.Chicago. 11l.,asslgnor to Union Asbestos Rubber Company, Chicago, Ill.,a' corporation of Illinois Application December 10. 1936, Serial No.115,107

11 claims. (ci. 10s-31s) UNITED `s'm'rlazs PATENT oFl-lclaz Ihe presentinvention relates to refrigerator cars, and is particularly concernedwith an improved bulkhead construction, by means of which the bulkheadlo`ad may be distributed over the sill area of the car, although thebulkhead may be entirely disconnected from the floor of th carimmediately below the bulkhead.

In the bulkhead constructions of the prior art the bulkhead is adaptedto receive the thrust caused by shifting of loads on the floor racks.

These shifting loads eventually loosen the lower floor bolts whichfasten the bulkhead to the floor in those devices, thereby causingleakage, and the water leaking through around the loosened bolts wetsthe insulation, causing it to rot, and greatly reducing its eillciency.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of an improvedbulkhead structure in which the floor bolts underneath the bulkhead havebeen entirely eliminated, thereby preventing any leakage at this point,and assuringl the maintenance of the insulation in good, dry condition.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved bulkheadconstruction in which floor bolts are eliminated, but which is adaptedto transmit the bulkhead load to the end sill of the car, therebyproviding a bulk--` head which is adapted to withstand any load whichmight be placed upon lit by the shifting of merchandise on the carfloor.

Another object of the invention is the provi- 'slon of an improved icechamber structure, in-

cluding new pan grates or grate sections which .are-so constructed thatthe slush'and fine ice does not fall through them, and therefore doesnot clog the trap.

Another object of the invention is the provision of improved bulkheadand grate pan structures adapted to be arranged for half icing and whichare also pllfer-proof because the grate pans cannot be removed from theice chamber side, as might be the case when the hatch cover is removed.4

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved bulkheadstructure which provides a greater percentage of air opening,

in orderv to secure a better circulation of theA air, particularly whenbananas are shipped in the car.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and the accompanying drawings, in which similarcharacters indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the three sheets of drawings,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, horizontal sectional view, taken through oneend of the refrigerator car constructed according to the presentinvention, the section being taken at a point above the grate pans inthe ice chamber;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through a refrigeratorcarconstructed according to the present invention; taken on the plane ofthe line 2 2 of Fig. 1, looking in thedirection of the arrows, showingthe bulkhead in elevation and showing the inside of the ice chamber,with the grate pans in section;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken on the plane ofthe line 3--3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction'of the arrows, showingthe construction of the bulkhead and end vof the refrigerator car of thetype employing a canvas covering over the flooring;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view through the top header for thebulkhead, by means of which the bulkhead is attached to the roof of thecar;

Fig. 5 vis a horizontal sectional view, taken through the ventilationopenings in the upper part of the bulkhead, by means of which a muchgreater ventilation area may b e secured;

Fig. 6 is afragmentary view similar to Fig. 3, showing the constructionof the car at anice chamber and bulkhead when a steel car flooring isemployed;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to the upper part of Fig.3, showing the hatchway and upper bulkhead construction of amodification;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view similiar to the lower rightcorner of Fig. 3, showing the details of construction of a modification;

Fig. 9 is a larger fragmentary view of apor tion of the bulkheadconstruction.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, i0 indicates in its entirety the refrigeratorcar, which may be provided with end wall il, top wall i2, bottom wallI3, and side walls il and I5.

The car is usually provided at each end with a hatchway I6, leading toan ice chamber i1, which is divided from the rest of the car by .abulkhead I8, located near each end `of the car.

The floor construction or bottom wall may be substantially as describedin my lco-pending ap- In brief, `the main sills I9 of the car support alayer 20 of sub-flooring. upon which rests the insulation 2I, which maycomprise a plurality of layers or bats of insulating belt of vegetable,mineraLor animal fibers, preferably the former, laid with broken joints.y

5 The insulation 2| may be clamped between sub-stringers 22, 23, whichare located above the main stringers I9. 'I'he sub-stringers 23 supportthe flooring 24, which in the, embodiment of Fig. 3 comprises a. layerof tongue-and-groove lumber over the entire floor of the car,supplemented by a steel drip pan 25, which overlaps the flooring 24 andextends upward on three sides of the car wall H, inside the ice chamberI1.

In the embodiment of Fig. 3, the car flooring 24 is water-proofed by theapplication of a plurality of layers 26 of canvas, impregnated withwaterproofing material such as asphalt or tar or other initially plasticseaming compound, with which the impregnated layers of canvas arecemented to each other and to the floor with-overlapping and brokenjoints. The floor racks 21 then rest upon the lower or floor wall I3 soconstructed.

Referring to Fig. 6, this is a modified form of flooring, in which themain stringers I9 are also covered with sub-flooring 26 supporting thelayers A of insulation 2I, which are clamped in place by gage a sheetmetal stop member 30 of substantially U shape, which is welded to thesteel ooring 28, and which prevents the shifting ofthe floorracks underload. In this embodiment the steel flooring is continued underneath theice chamber to form the drip pan,'and it extends upward on the sidewalls of the car, not only in the ice chamber, but over the rest of thelower portion of the car walls, to such an extent that the water levelmay never rise above the edge of the vertical steel flooring flanges.

The side walls of the refrigerator car may be constructed as shown in myco-pending application, Ser. No. 103,735, Refrigerator car construction,led October 2, 1936. For example, the end wall may comprise a sheetsteel-member 3I, having a plurality of pressed reinforcing ribs 32 andcovering the entire end area of the car. A second layer 33 of steel islocated inside the member 3|, and a layer of lumber 34 forms a wallchamber for receiving the insulation 35.

'I'he insulation, similar to that described with respect to the floor,may be clamped between wooden clamping bars 36, 31, whichl are providedwith bores for passing the clamping bolts 38. The bolts 38 may also beemployed for securing the angle iron supports 39 in place, which areused for half icing. InsideI the sheathing 34, the

car walls, at the bulkhead, are provided with vertically extending framemembers 40, which support the wire mesh screening 4I of a noncorrodiblecopper alloy. This provides the ventilation conduits 42 between thescreening 4I and the sheathing 34 on three sides of the ice chamber.

The fourth side of the ice chamber is defined by the' bulkhead I8 ofimproved construction. The framework of the bulkhead I8 preferablycomprises a plurality of sheet metal sections 43,

which are long enough to extend from the bottom of the bulkhead to thetop of the car and wide enough so that a plurality of such sections,such as, for example, five sections -in Fig. 1,

' placed edge to edge, cover the entire bulkhead Each bulkhead section43 comprises a relatively thin sheet metal member, having a fiat body44, an edgeV flange'45 at right angles to the body, and a parallelflange 46 at each edge of the body.

The parallel flanges 46 are turned inward toward each other. The body 44is reinforced to some degree by the flanges 45 and 46, but the sectionsare preferably further reinforced and provided with frame members atregularly spaced intervals by the use of additional channels 41, 48. Thechannels 41, 48 flt into the .spaces deilned by the body 44, flange 45,and flange 46, and the channels 41, 48 and'fianges 45 are securedtogether by screw bolts and nuts 49 locatedat regularly spacedintervals. Thus the bulkhead is provided with vertically extending framemembers of suitable strength, comprising the channels 41, 48 ,and theadjacent flanges 45, 46.

It is not necessary to' make the body wall 44 of the bulkhead sectionsof such heavy material as would be necessary if the flanges 45 and 46alone were relied upon to provide sufilcient stiftening at the verticalframe members of the `bulkhead. y

The body 44 o`f each ,section 43 is preferably an imperforate sheet fromthe point 50 in Fig. 3 to the point 5I adjacent the top, but at itsupper end each body portion of the bulkhead sections is provided withvertically extending apertures 52. These apertures have been so arrangedthat although/the bulkhead still prevents access to the interior of therefrigerator car, through the hatchway I6 and ice chamber I1, when thehatchway is unlocked, a maximum amount of ventilation area or opening at52 is provided. With the present construction as much as eighty percentlopening may be made in that portion of the bulkhead in which theopenings are located.

Each opening 52 may be made as shown in Fig. 5. The body 44 of thebulkhead section is provided with a slit, and the edges of the sheetmetal adjacent the slit are bent inward until the two flanges 53, 54formed from opposite sides or adjacent slits, come into parallelrelation as shown in Fig. 5.

All o'f Athe space represented between the flanges 54, 55 in Fig'. 5 isthe area of the opening. As the sheet metal of which the body 44 isconstructed' may be relatively thin, since the bulkhead is reinforced bychannels 41, 48, the flanges 53, 54 need not be relied upon for completeprotection against access into therefrigerator car chamber, and a wirenetting 56 may also be employed.-

The wire netting 56 covers that portion of the bulkhead opposite theopenings 52 from one side of the car and from the top of the car down tothe wooden sheathing 51.

The bulkhead may be further strengthened by the use of a sheet steellining 58 of suillcient size to cover the complete area of the bulkheadfrom the bottom edge of the Wire netting 56 to the point 59 at thebottom. This steel lining may be provided with a right angle flange 66at each edge adjacent the wall and with an inwardly turned flange 6Iparallel to the body 58 of the sheet.

At the top, as shown in Fig. 7, it may be provided with a laterallyturned flange 62 and a downwardly extending flange 63, which overlapsthe sheathing 51. Thel sheathing 51 may be aooaaer.

secured to the bulkhead sections 48 by means ofa plurality of screwbolts 84 passing through the sheathing and through the bulkhead.

The eathing thus-extends downward to the point 85 t the floor rack level21 and separates the car into the main chambers and/the ice chambers I1.The space between the longitudinal frame members 29 of the floor racksdefines a ventilation conduit which leads under the bulkhead at thepoint 65 intothe ice chamber. The spaces 66 between the walls of thebulkhead also serve -to define air conduits similar in function to theair conduits42 between the sheathing 34' and the netting 4I surroundingthe ice chamber. Thus the ice chamber is surrounded by air spaces andthe air may pass in at the bottomof the ice chamber upward around theoutside of the .conned ice, as wellv as through the ice, vwhereverpossible.

The bulkhead I8 may be suspended from the Aroof I2 of the car by meansof a suitable top header. 'I'he roof I2 of the ar rests upon theside-walls I4 and I5, being provided with suitable 4rafters 61 restingupon the studs, forming part of the side walls.

In a similar manner the header 6'8 of sheet steel,

. ange 14.

15, which are provided with nuts, pass through one or the other of thechannels 41, -48 and anges 46. `These bolts also serve to secure thescreening 56 in place and have their nuts on the inside of the car toprevent removal of the bolts.

The bulkhead I8 is thus suspended from the flanges 14 of the 'header 68by means of bolts 15.

At theside walls of the car thebulkhead I8 is also secured to thevertically 'extending studs 69, 10 by means of a plurality of screwbolts 16. At these points the flanges 45 abut directly against the innerface of the studs 69, 10, which are rabbeted to provide space forreceiving the sheathing 34, which is also continued inside the mainrefrigerator car chamber.v

Bolts 16 are provided at a multiplicity of regularly spaced points fromthebottom of the-bulk head to the top thereof, thereby firmly securingthe bulkhead tothe sides of the car -to resist thrust.

The body 44 ofthe bulkhead sections 43 may terminate at the point 50,but the ilanges 45 and 46 thereof may continue on downward to a levellindicated by the numeral 65,l thereby providing support for thesheathing 51 on the bulkhead down to that point.

'Ihe channelledfmembers 41, 48 extend from the top of the bulkhead I8,where they are secured to the header 68, down to the point. 50, wherethese channelied members are bent diagonally, extending laterally anddownwardly toward the end sill of the car. The diagonal portion of thesechannelled members is indicated by the numeral 11 I8 and the depending.

in Fig. 3.. I'hese channelled members may be 'flattened out'at'theirends 1l to provideoutf.-

wardly projecting flanges. which maybe secured by means of screw bolts19 to a loot member 88, which has a vertically extending" flange 8| forengaging the foot flanges 18. Since the flanges 45 of the sections 48are not; continued between the channels 41 and 48 In the diagonalportion 11, suitable spacing members 82 are clamped between thechannels", 48 at the diagonal portion 11 and secured in place bythroughscrew bolts 83. 'I'his permits these diagonal portions to beclamped tightlyy together at a spacing similar to their 'spacing in thebody of the bulkhead, where they are separated bythe anges 45. Therefrigerator cars are 'usually provided with an end sill 84, extendingacross the lower end corner of the car, and this sill may be suitablyreinforced with Z bars 85. Suitable wooden blocks 86 are located atregularly spaced .points in the corner, engaging the sill 84 and Z bar8l', and complementarily formed to permit such engagement. The blocks 86are supplemented with elongated cross frame members 81,- 88.

The blocks 86 are located one for each set of channels 41, 48, andtherefore onefof the blocks 86 islocated beneath the foot ange -18 andfoot member of each of the diagonal portions 11.

The sheet metal flooring 28 may be bent diagonally upward .at'the point88a, conforming to the surface 89 of the blocks 88. The flooring mayalso be bent in a horizontal direction 4at 90, again conforming to theupper surface 92 of the frame members 81, and thereafter the flooringextendsupward as at4`93 on the end wall of the car, as

shown in Figj. The foot members 80 may comprise the vertically extendingflanges which are secured to the transversely extending bearing flanges94, y95, 86,

flanges 94, 95, 96, to transmit thrust thereto. A

horizontally extending ilange 91, carried by the vertical flange 94, mayalso be provided for support of the grates.

. This i'lange 91 may have a downwardly turned edge 98, and the gratesupporting bars 99 may r be secured to the anges 91 and 98. The gratesupporting bar shown in Fig. 8 is of substantially Z shaped section, andthe grate pan I 00 is secured by a through bolt IOI, which also fastensthe Z bar 99 to the flange 91. Supplemental bolts |02,

passing through the depending flange of the Z'bar 99 and the ange 98,assure the securement of the Z bar in place.

Referring now to Fig. 6, this is a simpler form of end blockconstruction, in which the blocks 86 have merely a diagonally andupwardly extending at surface |03. The arrangement of the flooring asthe guide member |06 in Fig. 3. The guide member |05 consists of achannel'with a vertical lflange and two horizontally extending anges,

. 7'0 age.

tions of ice in the pan', but permit drainage of the-horizontalflangesembracing the grate pans At one point in the flooring of theice chamberthe pper horizontal flanges of the channel |05 5 ter inate, as at |01 inFig. 1, the ends of these place -by a long bolt |08 which passes througha 10 hole in the bottom of the grate pan and extends diagonally downwardthrough the flange 59 ofthe bulkhead steel lining, where it is securedby a nut. Since the other'grate pans cannot b`e removed until this on eis taken out, the single bolt I08`makes the entire grate pan structurepilferproof.

Referring to Fig. 3, the lower end corner of the refrigerator car hereis substantially the same as described, except that the blocks 86 arecovered with tongue-and-groove flooring |09, located underneath thewater-proofing layers 26.

\It will thus be observed that in all of vthese embodiments any thrustwhich is placed upon the bulkhead I8 is transmitted by the diagonallyextending channelled reinforcing members 11 to the end sill of the car.

The bulkhead has no securing bolts passing through the floor of thecarwhich might be loosened by the thrust imposed upon the bulkhead 30 byshifting loads, and therefore there is no danger of any leakage throughthe door due to load on the bulkhead. The -feet 80 ofnthe bulkheadsupporting members 11 likewise have no bolts located in the lowerportion or floor of the drain pan, and therefore present no possibilityof leakage.

The present bulkhead may be made of lighter material than the devices ofthe prior art, and yet, by virtue of its suitable reinforcement bystrong at a lower cost. n

Referring now to Fig. 1, the grate pans |00 cover`\the bottom of the icechamber, providing it with a perforated flooring through which liquidsuitable area', but are preferably of sufficient length to extend fromone side of the ice chamber to the other; that is, from the bulkhead I8to the wall II. 'I heir width may depend upon various factors of design,but in -the present embodiment five such grate pans cover the completearea of the bottom of the ice chamber I1. The grate pans are identicalin construction, and therefore only one need be described.

tion.| I0 which rests upon the guide members |05, |06. The flat bodyportion is bounded on all sides by an upwardly extending flange v| I Iforming a pan or container. 'l/Zhe flange I is of sufficient width to tbetween the parallel flanges of the guides |05, |06, and it also servesto reinforce the pan II 0.

The pan II 0 is also preferably provided with 5 one or more upwardlyextending pressed ribs I|2 extending longitudinally of the pan atregularly spaced intervals. The at portions between these ribs maybegprovided with a multiplicity of regularly spaced apertures II3,providing drain- These pans tend to retain the small porthe waterthrough the apertures 'I I3. The ribs I I2 cause'the small pieces of iceto move over toward the apertures I I3 to facilitate drainage, and

75 in any event, should the alrtures-become clogged channelled members,it may be made just asv may drain. These grate pans may be of any Eachgrate pan has a relatively flat body porwith ice, the drainage is hadover the edges of the flanges I II between the pans.

The ice chamber is preferably provided with the angle iron supports 39and II4 (Fig. 3) located half way between the point 5I and the point 50.These angle irons 39 and III are secured to the side wall of the car andto the bulkhead I8 respectively, at half he'ight in order'that the gratepans |00 may be so placed on the angle irons for the practice of halficing.

Referring to Figs. 4 and '1, -these are views showing the application ofa modified form of header II5, which performs the function of the header68 and is also adapted to facilitate the yconstruction of the hatchwayI6. This header comprises the depending flanges 14, as described withrespect to the header 68, which are secured to the bulkheadla by throughbolts 15. The header I I5 is provided with a pair of body flanges 12,secured together by welding at IIS, ||1 and other suitable spot welds,but the body flange 12 extends vertically upward on the left, while thebody. flange 12 on the right is bent at right anside with a layer ofsheet steel |22, |23, which extends horizontally at 4|24 over the upperedge of the hatch wall and downward at |25.

The frame members |20, I2I may extend from one side to the other of thecar, supplementing the header I I5 in providing support for the bulkheadI8. Thus the header I I5 constitutes a rcom- -bination hatch carline andbulkhead header which may be constructed of open hearth steel andgalvanized, -whereas the member 68 is a bulkhead supporting header madein two pieces, separately galvanized and riveted together. It will thusbe observed that I have invented an improved bulkhead structure which isadapted to be suspended from the ceiling of a refrigerator car, therebycompletely eliminating the -necessity for bolts passing through theflooring of the car at the bulkhead.

The present bulkhead is provided with means for transmitting the load onthe bulkhead directly to the end sill of the car without necessity forusing any through bolts in the floor, and thusthere is no possibility ofsuch bolts getting loose and causing leakage through the floor into theinsulation.

The insulation may be kept in prime condition for the full life of .thecar, and-the present invention is not only adapted to be used with myimproved steel flooring, but with floorings of the prior art. The gratepans prevent the small particles of -ice from dropping through the-gateto clog the water trap, yet suitable ventilation apertures are provided,which assure a constant and free flow of air around the ice and aroundthe ice chamber. y

The present bulkhead may be constructed of lighter material, which makesit more economical than the devices of the prior art, and by means ofits :improved construction, including the reinforcing channels, it maybe made just as strong. The load on the bulkhead is transmitted directlyto the end sill of the car, Where thrust is transmitted to the couplersor the car.

While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, manymodifications may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention, and I do not Wish to be limited to the precise detailsofconstruction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes withinthe scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what vI claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a refrigerator car construction, a bulkhead comprising a pluralityof sections of relatively light sheet metal, each section comprising anelongated sheet steel member having at each edge a transverselyextending flange adapted to engage a similar flange on another section,said `sections being secured together at said anges to provide acomplete bulkhead, and a pluralityof reinforcing members of stock shapeengaging said flanges and secured by the same securing devices forstiiening the bulkhead.

2. In a refrigerator car construction, a bulkhead comprising a pluralityof sections of relatively light sheet metal, each section comprising anelongated sheet steel member having at each edge a transverselyextending flange adapted to engage a similar flange on another section,said sections being secured together at said flanges to provide acomplete bulkhead, and a plurality of reinforcing members of stock shapeengaging.

said flanges and secured by the same securing devices for stiifening thebulkhead, said bulkhead being suspended from the roof of therefrigerator car and being characterized byl the absence of securingdevices below the bulkhead in thefloor.

3. In a refrigerator car construction, a bulkhead comprising a pluralityof sections of relatively light sheet metal, each section comprising anelongated sheet steel member having at each edge a transverselyextending ange adapted to engage a similar flange on another section,said sections being secured together at said flanges to provide acomplete bulkhead, and a plurality of reinforcing members of stock shapeengaging said flanges and secured by the same securing devices forstiflening the bulkhead, said bulkhead having an auxiliary layer ofsheet steel carried at the edges of said flanges for furtherstrengthening the bulkhead and providing a vertically extending airconduit through the bulkhead.

bination of abulkhead with means for securing said bulkhead to theceiling of a refrigerator car, and means for transmitting thrust on thebulkhead directly toward theiend sill of the refrigerator car, saidbulkhead comprising av plur'ality of sheet metal sections provided withreinforcing members located adjacent the joints between the sections,said reinforcing members hav; ing lower diagonally extending portionsconstituting means for transmitting `thrust to the sill.

6. In a refrigerator car construction, a combined header and hatchwaycarline comprising a pair of sheet metal members having at body flangessecured together, each of said sheet metal members having a laterallyturned portion and terminating in a downwardly extending flange,

vsaid downwardly extending anges being adapted to embrace and support abulkhead.

'1. In a bulkhead, the combination of means for supporting a pluralityof sheet metal sections adjacent the end of a refrigerator car forforming a bulkhead, each of said sections'having a flat body portionlocated betweenA vertically extending reinforcing portions, 'said fiatbody portions being provided at the top with ventilation aperturescomprising the spaces between substantially parallel, transversely bentflanges formed out of said body portion, and extending atsubstantiallyright angles to said body portion, thereby achieving amaximum ventilation area in a minimum of space. f

8..In a refrigerator car bulkhead support, the combination of a blockingstructure located in the lower end corner of a refrigerator car, with asheet metal flooring covering said blocking structure, a metal footmember engaging said fioor' ing above said blocking,- and a bulkheadsupporting arm secured to said foot and extending diagonally upwardtoward a bulkhead. v

9. In a refrigerator car bulkhead support, the combination of a blockingstructure located in the lower end corner of a refrigerator car, with asheet metal flooring covering said blocking structure, a 4metal footmember. engaging said flooring above said blocking, and a bulkheadsupporting arm secured to said foot and extending diagonally upwardtoward a bulkhead, said footing and flooring being characterized by theabsence of securing devices extending through the ooring to preventpossibility of leakage through the flooring.

10. In a refrigerator car bulkhead, the combination of a refrigeratorcar with means for connecting a bulkhead to the ceiling of the car,brackets secured to the end wall of the car for support of the bulkhead,channel shaped reinforcing members secured to the ceiling connec- ,tionand extending downward to the grate line,

